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Blair at the NFU – what the papers say

- 02 February 2000
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2 February 2000



Blair at the NFU – what the papers say

By FWi staff

TODAYS newspapers are almost unanimously agreed that the Prime Ministers speech to farmers leaders yesterday (1 February) did little to appease the crisis-hit industry.

Most report that Tony Blairs address to the National Farmers Union annual general meeting was met with at best a sullen and at worst a hostile response.

Mr Blair offered no cash “quick fixes”, instead calling on farmers to diversify and embrace the Internet.

He did announce the scrapping of a proposed pesticides tax and stricter rules on labelling.

The Daily Telegraph reports that the Prime Minister was hissed and booed after refusing to answer delegates questions.

Telegraph columnist Alice Thompson claims that farmers are to New Labour what coalminers were to Margaret Thatcher.

She argues that both seem outmoded, required massive subsidy, failed to compete with imports, rely on brute strength and pass skills down generations.

But she adds that the crucial difference is that farmers have a secondary rôle as custodians of the countryside.
The Times reports that Mr Blair received a muted response, and even Downing Street admitted the reception was “cool”.

The Express reports that “Blair is booed as he faces farmers and says sorry”, while in a two-page piece The Daily Mail says “Farmers boo Blair as he rules out rescue”.

In same newspaper, Clive Aslet, editor of Country Life, describes the government claim that countryside dwellers are better off than urban counterparts as “baloney”.

In its leader The Mail warns the Prime Minister he is mistaken if he believes the countrys 170,000 farmers are too few too matter.

It says the countryside defines British people, who value their landscapes.

Mr Blair receives more positive coverage from the The Independent, which says “Blair forestalls the boos with help for farmers”.

It claims the “highly conciliatory” speech was regarded by many as “insufficient in promise”, but its “politically astute sympathetic tone forestalled boos”.

The Guardian says Mr Blair was given a polite response, but his audience was deeply disappointed with the speech.

“All he had to offer were (pigs) blood, (creditors) sweat and the inevitable tears of those forced to accept the end of a rural way of life,” claims The Guardian leader.

It echoes calls for farm diversification, but claims, “in practice, many are doomed to go to the wall”.

The newspaper says farmers must “become cuddly once again” and be seen as the safe, reliable providers of foodstuffs, and custodians of the countryside.

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